7 days down, 7 to go. Having surgery on December 5. I'm the first surgery in the morning.

My liquid diet has sucked. No way to sugar coat that. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I'm incredibly hungry and angry. LOL. And my brain doesn't work. Really horrific brain fog.

When you cut out all carbs and sugar, your liver has to kick into gear and make sugar for your body through a process called gluconeogenesis. You NEED glucose in your blood for basic functions. In particular, your brain needs glucose to function.

When you're glucose deprived, it can be hard to concentrate, you can need extra effort for decisions, your impulse -control can be worse, and your emotions can be out of whack. I can attest to all of this being true. I'm forgetting everything. I feel foggy, and like I have to concentrate harder to stay on task. Have had headaches on and off and felt really tired. And did I mention I'm really grumpy? Like...really grumpy, and weepy, and kinda...unhinged. (more so than usual!)

My particular diet is 5 shakes, sugar free popcicles, sugar free jello, broth, and one 100 calorie serving of either cream of wheat or yogurt per day....for two weeks. Here's a tip: If you're on this diet? Save your one item with carbs (the yogurt or cream of wheat) for just before you have to drive. You'll be more clear headed while driving, and drive safer.

I kept forgetting how many shakes I'd had, so I put five clothespins on my kitchen curtains and moved them over to the other side as I drank my shakes. No second guessing that way. It helped.

You do lose weight rapidly. I've lost about a pound a day. But again...this sucks so much. LOL. My previous wonderful low fat, low carb, calorie restricted diet seems decadent and indulgent by comparison. I miss my diet food. It was delicious and I'll never take it for granted again.

I do feel more prepared for the psychological effects of the post-surgical diet. I already know how hard it is not to eat anything solid...and what weird things not eating carbs can do to your brain. I know how different I feel with my liver making all the sugar I need....and that I'm emotionally pretty raw.

I've never done anything like this in my life, and it's pretty intense.

While I really hate this diet....there is a certain comfort in knowing I won't be facing these changes for the first time right after surgery. I think it would add stress at a time I want to keep stress at bay as much as possible. I'll have my hands full with learning to stay hydrated.

Tomorrow will be the eighth day...over the first hill, and on my way down the slope to surgery...I'm halfway home. Then another couple of weeks until mushy foods get reintroduced.

I really never put together that I'd be in starvation mode for over a month. This is one of the hardest things I've ever done.

Yeah I've been considering on starting the liquid diet (a week) early, too. My surgery date is on the 27th of this month, but I've decided to start a little early to get adjusted and will start on the 4th. Two protein drinks a day and a light meal for supper. I don't want to shock my body and feel like I'm starving itself if I suddenly go to liquids. Hope this will be beneficial!

@sandra305, it's worked well for me. I've been down at least a half pound every day this week and the protein shakes are keeping me pretty full. I do still have 3 cups of popcorn most nights (when I'm hungriest) but the days have been pretty manageable. Good luck! (My surgery is the day after yours.)

Mhy....you must be looking at the Nutritional Supplement version of the shake. The one I'm using is specifically for patients having major surgery and I had to buy it at the pharmacy behind the counter. This one has 15 g of Carbs per shake. It says right on the box that it's to be used only for a short time under the supervision of a doctor.

While I understand that Nestle makes chocolate, they also have a huge medical nutrition line (Nestle Health Science) that provides many of the liquid food formulas given to Tube Fed patients, and special liquid supplements for people with specific nutritional needs in medical recovery. Yep, they make candy. Apparently, they're also a huge name in medical nutrition.

I'm not saying these shakes are necessary. I'm not plugging them....if I were, I sure wouldn't talk about how God-awful they taste. But it's disingenuous to say they're made by a candy company and are "suspect".

And like I say....since I started drinking them in place of 3 of my other shakes...I've felt amazingly clearer. They make me feel a LOT better.

Also, the protocol I'm using that was developed by University of Michigan (that includes these weird shakes) is being picked up by Cedars-Sinai and some other super reputable research hospitals. I don't think they'd steer anyone to junk to make a buck because, frankly, they have a ton of money and don't need to. Their bread and butter...is in cutting edge research and having great outcomes.

Had my last pre-surgical appointment today!

Learned some really weird stuff that I wanted to share.

WARNING: What i'm about to describe is unique to my particular surgery protocol. Your doctor might have an entirely different approach and you should follow the instructions of YOUR doctor, always. I'm providing this for folks who are curious about an example of what happens....not what necessarily will happen in their procedure. Your particular doctor and facility might do things completely different.

I've been told to take a shower with Chlorhexadine soap the night before surgery (was given a bottle), and to get into freshly laundered bedding. Was told underarm deodorant is desirable, but any other scents should be avoided. No makeup or fingernail polish (has to do with anesthesiologist monitoring your color).

I'm supposed to finish all my shakes for the day by 6pm.

This is the weird one!!!!

From 6-9pm on the night before surgery, I'm supposed to drink 24 ounces of White Grape Juice. At 2:30 am I'm supposed to have an additional 12 ounces. Apparently carb loading the hell out of folks in front of the surgery helps to carry them through the nutritional rut, aids in healing, and helps clean your bowels out more naturally.

In the morning, i'm supposed to take 1000mg of Tylenol and my regular meds (minus vitamins and blood pressure meds). I'm also supposed to take a medicine I picked up today called Emend that helps with nausea for a few days. Additionally, i'm being put on a medication called Omeprazole for three months while my stomach heals. I'll start that after surgery and break the capsule into a blob of fat free sugar free cool whip to get it down.

Surgery is at 7:30am. I'm supposed to be there by 5:30. They're estimating 1-2 hours of surgery, two hours in recovery. They said I should expect to be in my room on the bariatric floor by 11am-1pm.

At that point, I start the sip/blow/walk routine. if I'm able to hold down one ounce of clear liquid an hour, after a few hours, I'm told to do four ounces an hour....with each ounce being consumed in ten sips over 15 minutes. If that works out for a while....they switch it up to protein drinks every other hour. Four ounces clear liquids...four ounces protein drinks...four ounces clear liquids....alternating for ten hours per day. The hope is 40 ounces of fluid per day in the first week. After the first week....we add some other stuff in like pudding and cream of wheat and strained cream soups. With our protocol, about three weeks out you start eating semi soft foods. Takes about six weeks total to heal and have the freedom to try things on impulse.

I know a lot of folks do this different...and some have no problems jumping in to semi soft earlier....have heard all sorts of stories. (and a few horror stories) We all have.... And I know we're all interested in when solid food gets reintroduced.

I'm gonna do my best to follow instructions and do as i'm told. I want the best outcome possible. Strong suture line healing. All the professionals are saying slow and steady wins the race on this one. As tempting as it will be to eat...I'm gonna do my best to follow instructions to a T.

After surgery, I go back in one week for a recheck with both the doctor and the nutritionist. We'll talk about vitamins...which we start taking again after week two. Then, I go back at three weeks, and then monthly for a while...then less frequently.

Again...this is just the way one particular office does it....your surgeon might differ a LOT. Follow your surgeons instructions.